Roister Doister

Roister Doister, by Nicholas Udall

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Title: Roister Doister Written, probably also represented, before 1553. Carefully edited from the unique copy, now at Eton College
Author: Nicholas Udall
Editor: Edward H. Arber
Release Date: May 7, 2007 [EBook #21350]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Transcriber's Note:
This e-text is for users whose text readers cannot use the "real" (utf-8, unicode) version of the file. The [oe] ligature has been "unpacked" into two letters, and the single Greek word in the advertising section is shown in #marks#. In the ascii version, [ae] has been similarly unpacked, and a few other characters replaced or modified.
Words shown between +marks+ were printed in black-letter ("gothic") type; lines represent italics. Letters printed as superscripts are shown in {braces}.
Except for footnote and illustration markers, all brackets [ ] are in the original. The symbol shown as "(,',)"-- low 9, high 6, low 6, the whole in parentheses-- has not been identified.
Punctuation and capitalization in the play itself are unchanged. Note that the character descriptor "Harpax"-- a word, not a name-- is generally given in italics, not in blackletter, as is the word "Omnes".]

+English Reprints.+
NICHOLAS UDALL, M.A. Master, in succession, of Eton College and Westminster School.
+ROISTER DOISTER.+ Written, probably also represented, before 1553.
Carefully Edited from the Unique Copy, Now at Eton College,
by EDWARD ARBER, Associate, King's College, London, F.R.G.S., &c.
London: 5 Queen Square, Bloomsbury, W.C. Ent. Stat. Hall.] 24 July, 1869. [All Rights reserved.

+Dramatis Person?.+
+Ralph Roister Doister.+ +Mathew Merygreeke.+ +Gawyn Goodluck+, affianced to Dame Custance. +Tristram Trustie+, his friend. +Dobinet Doughtie+, 'boy' to Roister Doister. +Tom Trupenie+, seruant to Dame Custance. +Sym Suresby+, seruant to Goodluck. +Scriuener.+ Harpax.
Dame +Christian Custance+, a widow. +Margerie Mumblecrust+, her nurse. +Tibet Talk apace+, } her maidens. +Annot Alyface+, }
Time. About Two days. Scene. Not indicated: ? London.

A brief Note of the LIFE, WORKS, and TIMES
of
NICHOLAS UDALL, M.A.
Teacher, Dramatist, Translator, Preacher.
In succession Master of Eton College, Rector of Braintree, Prebend of Windsor, Rector of Calborne, and Master of Westminster School.
* Probable or approximate dates.
There are materials extant for a good Life of Udall. Meanwhile there is Mr. Cooper's excellent Memoir in the Shakespeare Society's reprint of Ralph Roister Doister [see No. 5 on p. 8]; and Anthony ��-Wood's account of him, Ath. Oxon. i. 211. Ed. 1813.
+1485. Aug. 22. Henry VII. becomes king.+
*1504.
Nicholas Udall ... was born in Hampshire, and descended from those of his name, living sometimes at Wykeham in the same county.--Wood.
+1509. April 22. Henry VIII. begins to reign.+
1520. June 18. ?t. 14.
Admitted scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
1524. May 30. ?t. 18.
Takes his B.A. [Wood, Fasti Oxon., i. 65, Ed. 1815.]
----. Sept. 3.
Elected Probationer Fellow of his College.
1533. May. Whitsun Eve. ?t. 27.
Royal MS. 18 A. lxiv. p. 275, has two titles. (1.) Versis and dities made at the coronation of queen Anne. (2.) Hereafter ensuethe a copie of diuers and sundry verses aswell in latin as in Englishe deuised and made partely by Iohn leland and partely by Nicholas Vuedale whereof sum were sette vp and sum were spoken and pronounced vnto the most high and excellente Quene the ladie Anne, wif vnto our sourain lorde King Henry the eight in many goodly and costely pageauntes exhibited and shewed by the mayre and citizens of the famous citie of london at first tyme as hir grace rode from the Towre of London through the said citie to hir most glorious coronation at the monasterie of Westminster on Whitson yeue in th xxv{th} yere of the raigne of our said soueraigne lorde.
The Rev. Dr. Goodford, the present Provost of Eton, has most kindly afforded me interesting information obtained by him from the MS. records of the College; viz., the Audit Rolls and the Bursar's Books, respecting Udall's connection with Eton.
The salary of the Master at Eton was then ��10 a year, or fifty shillings for each of the four terms. In addition, he received 20s. for his 'livery,' and other small sums, as for obits (i.e. attending masses for the dead) [e.g. Udall received for obits, 14s. 8d. in 1535, and the same in 1536]; and for candles and ink for the boys [e.g. Udall received for these purposes, 23s. 4d. in 1537, and the same in 1538.] If the assumed multiple of 13 truly express the relatively greater purchasing power of gold and silver more then than now: the salary and emoluments cannot be considered excessive.
1534. June 19.
Udall takes his M.A.